Year of the Spark: October 26
by Sparky Army
Summary: It's Halloween night and John is being haunted by the memory of her...or, he will be in a way he doesn't quite expect.


__

**We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers that Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree.  
**

**And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way! **

* * *

Dear Readers,

_YAY! Halloween fic!! Before I wrote this, I suddenly remembered the final scene from the movie _Casper_, and I realized that it was the most perfect thing to base this fic on. The title is taken from the piece on the _Casper _soundtrack called "One Last Wish" by the brilliant James Horner. It really helps if you listen to it while reading. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, and Happy Halloween!_

_Best regards from a Bookworm (and SAVE SGA advocate),_

_Miss Pookamonga ;-P_

* * *

**One Last Wish**

Halloween night.

He told himself that he should have been downstairs celebrating with the rest of Atlantis, but for some reason he couldn't pull himself away from the balcony overlooking the gate room. Something kept him rooted to the spot, staring down emptily at the laughing crowd below, while the vacancy of the space beside him haunted him with a chill eeriness.

Before, he hadn't felt so lonely up here. But now that she was gone, it was different.

He recalled the first celebration they'd had here over five years ago, when they had first set foot on Atlantis. He and she had broken away from the festivities and had found themselves both on the same balcony, and it was at that moment that he had realized how much he could trust her. He didn't know exactly how he had realized that, but something inside him had clicked, so to speak, and he had known from that moment on that Elizabeth Weir would always be there to stand by him, even if the circumstances had somehow pulled them apart.

But if she was always there, then why did he feel so empty now?

Suddenly, he felt a small wisp of cold air brush lightly against his cheek, and he instinctively turned around to see where it was coming from. There was nothing behind him except a darkened hallway, but he could swear that the soft breeze had come from that direction. Slowly, although he didn't quite know why, he walked towards the foreboding darkness, feeling frigid chills running up and down the length of his spine. The darkness encompassed him, its tendrils twirling around his body and encasing him in its grasp. For a moment, he felt a sharp pang of fear strike him in the heart as all the light from the gate room disappeared entirely, leaving him blind in the stark blackness covering him. But suddenly, in the distance, a small blue light appeared near what he thought was the floor, and it slowly stretched upward until there was a long sliver of light glowing before him.

He didn't know why, but the soft, eerie light made his heart leap, and he immediately began walking towards it, his steps increasing in speed as he neared it. Finally, when he was so close that the light was even more blinding than the darkness it cut through, he heard what sounded like a door opening, and the blue glow grew rapidly until it was flooding the entire space around him.

His hand flew up in shock at the sudden burst of brightness, and he blinked several times to regain his focus. Nothing but pure whitish-blue swam before his eyes for a few seconds, but the glow slowly softened until his eyes relaxed and came to rest upon the sight before him.

The outside balcony. _Their _balcony. Glowing silvery-blue in the light of the two full moons.

But that wasn't what he immediately gaped at upon stepping out into the cool wind.

It was the woman standing—no, more like floating—there, shimmering like the waves of the sea beneath the moonlight.

"Elizabeth?"

He felt as if all the breath had been knocked out of him.

"Hello, John," she answered quietly, her mouth curling into a smile as she floated towards him.

His eyes widened in disbelief as she came so close as to leave not so much as a few inches between them. "What the...how...are you..."

"It's all right. It's just me," she said reassuringly.

He cocked his head to the side. "But you can't...how _is _it you?"

She leaned back, shooting him a mischievous smirk. "Do you really want me to waste your time with a thorough explanation? It's _Halloween_, John."

"But...you're not...d-dead..." It took all the effort he had within him to choke the last word out.

She shrugged, floating away from him towards the edge of the balcony. He followed her, still entranced by her presence. "So? Doesn't mean I can't do this," she answered nonchalantly.

"Oh, you mean like, randomly appearing in front of me like some sort of ghost?" he half-joked, leaning against the railing and eyeing her skeptically.

She shook her head and chuckled. "I knew you'd say something like that."

He stared at her quietly, examining every feature, watching the way the breeze lifted her curls and the way her eyes twinkled as they gazed out at the ocean before them. Suddenly, he felt that odd sensation he had felt the first time they had talked on the gate room balcony, and he knew in his heart that it was _her_, however strange and impossible the whole situation seemed.

She seemed to be reading his mind, because she suddenly laid a cold hand upon his and turned to gaze into his eyes. He shivered upon seeing them—it had been so long...

"I've never left you, John," she whispered.

He gulped.

She slowly lifted a hand to rest upon his cheek. He closed his eyes and shuddered again at the cold touch, tightening his face instinctively to prevent himself from betraying too much emotion. But he knew she could see right through him. She had always been able to do that.

"You don't need to keep blaming yourself for what happened," she continued softly, bringing her face closer to his. He tentatively opened his eyes and frowned at her.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm still here, like I said. I've never left. I can't leave. Not when you've loved me so much."

His stomach churned at her last words and his mouth suddenly went dry.

"It's because of you that I still live," she whispered, bringing her face tantalizingly close to his ear.

Only half-realizing what he was doing, he lifted his arms and wrapped them around her cold body, feeling the tiniest bit surprised at how...solid...and how real she felt. When he was finally sure that she _was _real, he tightened his grip and leaned his cheek against her head.

"Elizabeth?" he choked, lifting his hand to entwine his fingers in her very real, silky hair. It felt so good to feel her again.

She turned and let her lips brush against his ear. "What?"

He closed his eyes and pressed his face closer to hers before answering in a wispy voice.

"Can I keep you?"

There was a sudden moment of silence at the question, broken only by the sloshing of the waves below and the whistling of the cool breeze in the air. Then, he suddenly felt her smiling against his neck, but he could somehow tell that it was tinted with sorrow.

She lifted her head away from him and gazed at him sweetly, but almost forlornly. "You _have_ kept me," she murmured, laying a hand on his heart. He took her hand in his own. "And I know you always will."

He gulped again, feeling yet another cold chill run up and down his spine. "You're going to leave aren't you?" he said hoarsely. It almost wasn't a question.

"I can't stay here like this forever, John."

"I know."

Another silence.

Then, she suddenly leaned toward him and softly captured his lips in a kiss. He lifted his hands to embrace her for a final time before he felt her slowly fade away into the breeze, taking his breath with him.

He squeezed his eyes shut and let the moment sink in, not wishing the memory to fade away as she had. Part of him felt surreal, as if it had all been a dream and that none of it had really happened.

And yet, most of him knew better. For when he lifted a hand to touch his lips, he could vividly feel the cool touch of hers against his own, lingering there before time and nature had stolen her away again.

He opened his eyes slowly and turned to gaze out at the twin moons glowing brightly above the glassy water as the billions of stars glimmered in the indigo sky surrounding them.

And then, suddenly, he swore he saw it. At first, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. But then he remembered the previous few moments, and he suddenly knew again that this had to be real. It _had _to. Because if it wasn't...he didn't think he had anything left to live for.

But there it was, in that sliver of sky just between the two moons. One single star, twinkling more brightly than the others, smiling luminously just for him.

His mouth broke into a wide grin.

It was true, what she had said. She had never really left his side.

And she never would.


End file.
